However, should Bangladesh not conduct censuses beyond 2021, we would be losing out on valuable information that indicate where our economy and our demography are heading, and help guide policy matters. The UK is also planning similar changes and researchers are worried at the loss of invaluable info. In a world of ‘denominator management’, a small population (i.e. a small denominator) makes most economic indicators seem rosier. But to truly know where we stand and where we need to be, we need such detailed information and regular censuses, no matter how politically unpalatable or logistically nightmarish the process may be.

Across the globe, in India, the latest census puts the Indian population at 1.21 billion, the highest after China, with a population of 1.35 billion. While the Chinese report is buried under other production and development statistics, the Indian numbers paint a more detailed picture. The urban migration trend, like the US, is equally evident in India. The most heartening statistic is the growth in literacy rate to 73%, up by 8% from a decade ago.